Controlled circulation water heating system



Dec. 2, 1941. I P. BERMAN 2,265,108

CONTROLLED CIRCULATION WATER HEATING SYSTEM Filed June 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O I GO M PHILIP BER MAN INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 2, 1941. A A P. BERMAN 2,265,103

CONTROLLED CIRCULATION WATER HEATING SYSTEM Filed June 5, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 \ifi F v N PHILIP BERMAN INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES new OFFICE CONTROLLED CIRCULKTION WATER HEATING SYSTEM Philip BermamNewYork, N. l assignnr :to Lillian 'Fiaker, New York, N. Y.

Applicationlune 5, 1940, Serial No. 338,829

.5 Claims.

This invention relates to means for the chicient operation of hot water "heating systems in which water is heated in connection with or independent of the heating of the building.

the heating system by utilizing the .city water supply pressure and without the use of a pump.

Another object of this invention :is to provide an inlet tube positioned within the storage tank, the said inlet tube entering .the tank below the service outlet and sloping downwardly toward the bottom of the tank and terminatingat a distance from the inlet and vserving to prevent short-circuiting of hot Water into the service outlet .of the storage tank.

Another object of this invention is to provide a regulating valve to control the relative quantities of water circulated from the tank and from the return circulation line to permit partialvclosing of the tank return pipe whereby the ;ci-rcula-- tion is increased in the return circulation line.

Another object of this invention is :to provide an auxiliary inlet for supply water connected to the lower portion of .the tank and including a manually controlled valve for lay-passing a portion of the supply water directly to the bottom of the storage tank, whereby a controlled vcirculation is provided in :the hot water system to permit the heater to operate at its maximum heating capacity.

With the above and other objects .in view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described, and the combination and arrangement ofparts will be shown in the accompanyingdraw- I ings and pointed out in the claims which form part of this specification.

Reference will now "be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout the :several views, in which:

Figure '1 shows a hot water storage heating system having my invention applied thereto.

:Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional View of the circulator and :a sediment remover.

In the illustrated embodiment an the invention the numeral 10 "indicates a domestic hot water heating system comprising a hot water heater or heat exchanger ll of any conventional construction. The water "is 'heated directlyin the heater. "The Water maybe heated in an indirect heater or in a submerged iheateror a self-contained type of heater.

Hot wa er is supplied from the upper el vat n of th heater 1H through a pipe 14 onnec e to a 1.101 waterstorage 15. Water is returned .from the lowerfeglevation of the storage tank l5 through a return pipe W entering the lower portion of the heater l I In the usual practice, the main I] from the city Water supply system .is connected to the lower portion of the hot water storage tank 15 and'the water pressure serves only to fill the tank. I havero-und that by'connecting the city pressure water supply line 11 direct to the circurlating line lfiand by installing .a water circulator J3 comprising .a Venturi effect flow-circulating means so as {to form part of the said circulating ,line,that whenthe-city water supply under pres- .sure passes through the circulator 1-8, the pressure causes ,a suction at the exit from the circuzlator which augments the usual convection current circulation of lthefiuid in the said circulation line. The pressure of thecity water supply is thus utilized to accelerate the usually slug ish circulation of the hot water.

The water :circulator It comprises a tubular .icentral portion or body 19. A "nozzle 2| has been positioned axially'ofthe said tubular body l9.

v.A Nenturi or compound tube 24 has been -;t-hreadab ly secured at the outlet end of the tubu- .;1 ,r body (I9 and axial alinement therewith. The Venturi tube,hasa converging lower portion 25, a diverging upper portion 26, a throat 2! and 'eylindrieal tuhulargp tion 28- 'Eheoutlet of the nozzle 21 terminates in close relation to thethroatzl f -thie Venturi tube 2 leaving an annular gap 2.9. The nozzle 21 is .of conical form so as to increase the velocity of watergpassmez-the thr ush.

in operation the avata pa es h ugh th nozzle flande usesthe liquid'd schar edtherethrong-hits beunderrincreased h gh ve ocity- .The nozzle 12;! projec s dir tly in o the entr ined stream so that the direction of he entra ned stream lisznot chang d- ;Ehe entra d liquid s iven :animp-ulseiby the oirculator jett -in the same direction exactly in Wh Qn-i t :isfiowing- The liquid simulator imparts an impul e efiect iii-J the liquid and functions to increase the loeity hi the liqu d and to create ahign suction culator, the energy in the pressure water supply is fully converted into suction in the circulator.

I have provided a valve in a by-pass line 36 in communication with the circulator l8 and with the hot water storage tank I5, for by-passing a portion of the supply water directly to the bottom of the storage tank, in the event the heater is not of suflicient capacity or more hot water is used than the nozzle permits passage. This makes possible a controlled circulation in the hot water system which permits the heater to operate at its maximum heating capacity.

The circulator l8 has been designed to efficiently utilize the energy of the incoming stream of water which is supplied under pressure to cause a rapid circulation of water within the piping.

Circulators have heretofore been provided with a water supply nozzle which projected into a mixing chamber having an irregular contour. This arrangement of the operating mechanism interfered with the flow and produced turbulence and otherwise interfered with the efiicient operation of the device.

This improved circulator avoids the objectionable construction features of the prior art and comprises a mixing chamber which is streamlined in the direction of flow, so that sharp angles or indentations which would cause turbulence are avoided and which permits flow therethrough with the least possible resistance.

The circulator device herein disclosed forms the subject matter of a separate patent application Ser. No. 390,258, filed Apr. 25, 1941.

A sediment remover 31 has been placed in the return pipe [6 from the storage tank I5. The,

sediment remover 31 has a baffle plate 38 which changes the direction of the liquid. The crosssectional area inside the sediment remover has been made much larger than the inlet area to considerably decrease the Velocity and thus permitting the particles heavier than water to settle to the bottom wherefrom it is discharged at will, and it has been found to actually remove sediment from the entire system.

An inlet tube 40 has been positioned within the tank I5 and is connected to the outlet from the water heater I l. The inlet tube has a vent hole 4| at its upper elevation to prevent air binding. The inlet tube 40 slopes downwardly toward the bottom of the tank and terminates at a distance from the service outlet 42 at the upper elevation of the tank. The tube 40 serves to prevent shortcircuiting of heater water into the service outlet 42.

The effect of the circulator is noticeable by a full tank of hot water of even temperature, instead of building up a high temperature at the top of the tank while the lower half of the tank is cold.

The hot water heating system herein described operates automatically without auxiliary mechanical devices having moving parts.

As shown in Figure 1, the return pipe l6 has a manually controlled valve 43 communicating with the lower portion of the tank. The valve 43 permits partial closing of the return pipe from the tank, whereby the circulation is increased in the return circulation line 44.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have describedand illustrated the'preferred embodiment of myinvention, but it will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a hot water heating system having a water heater, 2. hot water storage tank, a hot water delivery line from said heater to said tank and a return pipe line from the tank to the heater, a water circulator in said return pipe line and comprising a Venturi effect flow-accelerating means, said circulator having an inlet for supply water, said Venturi means having its outlet facing in the direction of said water heater and causing a constantly directed pressure to cause augmentation of motion of said water towards said water heater, said tank having a service outlet at its upper elevation, an inlet tube positioned within said tank and being connected to the outlet from said water heater, said inlet tube entering said tank below said outlet and sloping downwardly toward the bottom of said tank and terminating at a distance from said outlet, said inlet tube serving to prevent short circuiting of heater water into said service outlet, whereby said heating system causes consumption of the water in said tank prior to consumption of said heater water.

2. In combination with a hot water heating system having a Water heater, a hot water storage tank, a hot water delivery line from said heater to said tank and a return pipe line from the tank to the heater, a Water circulator in said return pipe line and comprising a Venturi effect flow-accelerating means, said circulator having an inlet for supply water, said Venturi means having its outlet facing in the direction of said water heater and causing a constantly directed pressure to cause augmentation of motion of said water towards said water heater, saidtank having a service outlet at its upper elevation, an inlet tube positioned within said tank and being connected to the outlet from said water heater, said inlet tube entering said tank below said outlet and sloping downwardly toward the bottom of said tank and terminating at a distance from said outlet, the upper portion of said inlet tube having an air vent to prevent air binding, said inlet tube serving to prevent short circuiting of heater water into said service outlet, whereby said heating system causes consumption of the water in said tank prior to consumption of said heater water.

3. In combination with a hot water heating system having a water heater, a hot water storage tank, a hot water delivery line from said heater to said tank and a return pipe line from the tank to the heater, a water circulator in said return pipe line and comprising a Venturi efieot flow-accelerating means, said circulator having an inlet for supply water, said Venturi means having its outlet facing in the direction of said water heater and causing a constantly directed pressure to cause augmentation of motion of said Water towards said water heater, said tank having a service outlet at its upper elevation, an inlet tube positioned within said tank and being connected to the outlet from said water'heater, said inlet tube entering said tank below said outlet and sloping downwardly toward the bottom of said tank and terminating at a distance from said outlet, the upper portion of said inlet tube having an air vent to prevent air binding, said inlet tube serving to prevent short circuiting of heater water into said service outlet, an auxiliary inlet for supply water connected to the lower portion of said tank and including a manually controlled valve for adjusting the flow of auxiliary water to said tank, whereby a controlled circulation is provided in said hot water system in proportion to the maximum heating capacity of said heater.

4. In combination with a hot water heating system having a water heater, a hot water storage tank, a hot water delivery line from said heater to said tank and a return pipe line from the tank to the heater, a water circulator in said return pipe line and comprising a Venturi eifect flow-accelerating means, said circulator having an inlet for supply water, said Venturi means having its outlet facing in the direction of said water heater and causing a constantly directed pressure to cause augmentation of motion of said water towards said water heater, said tank having a service outlet at its upper elevation, an inlet tube positioned within said tank and being connected to the outlet from said water heater, said inlet tube entering said tank below said outlet and sloping downwardly toward the bottom of said tank and terminating at a distance from said outlet, the upper portion of said inlet tube having an air vent to prevent air binding, said inlet tube serving to prevent short circuiting of heater water into said service outlet, an auxiliary inlet for supply water connected to the lower portion of said tank and including a manually controlled valve for by-passing a portion of the supply water directly to the bottom of said storage tank, whereby a controlled circulation is provided in said hot water system to permit said heater to operate at its maximum heating capacity.

5. In combination with a hot water heating system having a water heater, a hot water storage tank, a hot water delivery line from said heater to said tank and a return pipe line from the tank to the heater, a water circulator in said return pipe line and comprising a Venturi effect flow-accelerating means, said circulator having an inlet for supply water, said Venturi means having its outlet facing in the direction of said water heater and causing a constantly directed pressure to cause augmentation of motion of said water towards said water heater, said tank having a service outlet at its upper elevation, an inlet tube positioned within said tank and being connected to the outlet from said water heater, said inlet tube entering said tank at the central portion thereof and below said service outlet and sloping downwardly toward the bottom of said tank and terminating at a distance from said service outlet, the upper portion of said inlet tube having an air vent, said inlet tube serving to prevent short circuiting of heater water into said service outlet, an auxiliary inlet for supply water connected to the lower portion of said tank directly at said inlet end, said auxiliary inlet including a manually controlled valve for by-passing a portion of the supply water directly to the bottom of said storage tank, whereby a controlled circulation is provided in said hot water system to permit said heater to operate at its maximum heating capacity.

PHILIP BERMAN. 

